2 Samuel 15

1 Now after these things Absalom made himself chariots, and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

And it came to pass after this that Abessalom prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2 And Absalom rising up early stood by the entrance of the gate, and when any man had business to come to the king’s judgment, Absalom called him to him, and said: Of what city art thou? He answered, and said: Thy servant is of such a tribe of Israel.

And Abessalom rose early, and stood by the side of the way of the gate: and it came to pass that every man who had a cause, came to the king for judgement, and Abessalom cried to him, and said to him, Of what city are you? And he said, Your servant [is] of one of the tribes of Israel.

3 And Absalom answered him: Thy words seem to me good and just. But there is no man appointed by the king to hear thee. And Absalom said:

And Abessalom said to him, See, your affairs [are] right and clear, yet you have no one [appointed] of the king to hear you.

4 O that they would make me judge over the land, that all that have business might come to me, that I might do them justice.

And Abessalom said, O that one would make me a judge in the land; then every man who had a dispute or a cause would come to me, and I would judge him!

5 Moreover when any man came to him to salute him, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.

And it came to pass when a man came near to do him obeisance, that he stretched out his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

6 And this he did to all Israel that came for judgment, to be heard by the king, and he enticed the hearts of the men of Israel.

And Abessalom did after this manner to all Israel that came to the king for judgement; and Abessalom gained the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 And after forty years, Absalom said to king David: Let me go, and pay my vows which I have vowed to the Lord in Hebron.

And it came to pass after forty years, that Abessalom said to his father, I will go now, and pay my vows, which I vowed to the Lord in Chebron.

8 For thy servant made avow, when he was in Gessur of Syria, saying: If the Lord shall bring me again into Jerusalem I will offer sacrifice to the Lord.

For your servant vowed a vow when I lived at Gedsur in Syria, saying, If the Lord should indeed restore me to Jerusalem, then will I serve the Lord.

9 And king David said to him: Go in peace. And he arose, and went to Hebron.

And the king said to him, Go in peace. And he arose and went to Chebron.

10 And Absalom sent spies into all the tribes of Israel, saying: As soon as you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, say ye: Absalom reigneth in Hebron.

And Abessalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, When you hear the sound of the trumpet, then shall you say, Abessalom is become king in Chebron.

11 Now there went with Absalom two hundred men out of Jerusalem that were called, going with simplicity of heart, and knowing nothing of the design.

And there went with Abessalom two hundred chosen men from Jerusalem; and they went in their simplicity, and knew not anything.

12 Absalom also sent for Achitophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city Gilo. And while he was offering sacrifices, there was a strong conspiracy, and the people running together increased with Absalom.

And Abessalom sent to Achitophel the Theconite, the counsellor of David, from his city, from Gola, where he was sacrificing: and there was a strong conspiracy; and the people with Abessalom were increasingly numerous.

13 And there came a messenger to David, saying: All Israel with their whole heart followeth Absalom.

And there came a messenger to David, saying, the heart of the men of Israel is gone after Abessalom.

14 And David said to his servants, that were with him in Jerusalem: Arise and let us flee: for we shall not escape else from the face of Absalom: make haste to go out, lest he come and overtake us, and bring ruin upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, Rise, and let us flee, for we have no refuge from Abessalom: make haste and go, lest he overtake us speedily, and bring evil upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.

15 And the king’s servants said to him: Whatsoever our lord the king shall command, we thy servants will willingly execute.

And the king's servants said to the king, In all things which our lord the king chooses, behold [we are] your servants.

16 And the king went forth, and all his household on foot: and the king left ten women his concubines to keep the house:

And the king and all his house went out on foot: and the king left ten women of his concubines to keep the house.

17 And the king going forth and all Israel on foot, stood afar off from the house:

And the king and all his servants went out on foot; and abode in a distant house.

18 And all his servants walked by him, and the bands of the Cerethi, and the Phelethi, and all the Gethites, valiant warriors, six hundred men who had followed him from Geth on foot, went before the king.

And all his servants passed on by his side, and every Chelethite, and every Phelethite, and they stood by the olive tree in the wilderness: and all the people marched near him, and all his court, and all the men of might, and all the men of war, six hundred: and they were present at his side: and every Chelethite, and every Phelethite, and all the six hundred Gittites that came on foot out of Geth, and they went on before the king.

19 And the king said to Ethai the Gethite: Why comest thou with us? return and dwell with the king, for thou art a stranger, and art come out of thy own place.

And the king said to Ethi, the Gittite, Why do you also go with us? return, and dwell with the king, for you are a stranger, and you has come forth as a sojourner out of your place.

20 Yesterday thou camest, and today shalt thou be forced to go forth with us? but I shall go whither I am going: return thou, and take back thy brethren with thee, and the Lord will shew thee mercy, and truth, because thou hast shewn grace and fidelity.

Whereas you came yesterday, shall I today cause you to travel with us, and shall you [thus] change your place? you did come forth yesterday, and today shall I set you in motion to go along with us? I indeed will go wherever I may go: return then, and cause your brethren to return with you, and may the Lord deal mercifully and truly with you.

21 And Ethai answered the king, saying: As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth: in what place soever thou shalt be, my lord, O king, either in death, or in life, there will thy servant be.

And Ethi answered the king and said, [As] the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, in the place wherever my lord shall be, whether it be for death or life, there shall your servant be.

22 And David said to Ethai: Come, and pass over. And Ethai the Gethite passed, and all the men that were with him, and the rest of the people.

And the king said to Ethi, Come and pass over with me. So Ethi the Gittite and the king passed over, and all his servants, and all the multitude with him.

23 And they all wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself went over the brook Cedron, and all the people marched towards the way that looketh to the desert.

And all the country wept with a loud voice. And all the people passed by over the brook of Kedron; and the king crossed the brook Kedron: and all the people and the king passed on towards the way of the wilderness.

24 And Sadoc the priest also came, and all the Levites with him carrying the ark of the covenant of God, and they set down the ark of God: and Abiathar went up, till all the people that was come out of the city had done passing.

And behold also Sadoc, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Baethar: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had passed out of the city.

25 And the king said to Sadoc: Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find grace in the sight of the Lord, he will bring me again, and he will shew me it, and his tabernacle.

And the king said to Sadoc, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I should find favour in the eyes of the Lord, then will he bring me back, and he will show me it and its beauty.

26 But if he shall say to me: Thou pleasest me not: I am ready, let him do that which is good before him.

But if he should say thus, I have no pleasure in you; behold, [here] I am, let him do to me according to that which is good in his eyes.

27 And the king said to Sadoc the priest: O seer, return into the city in peace: and let Achimaas thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons, be with you.

And the king said to Sadoc the priest, Behold, you shall return to the city in peace, and Achimaas your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons with you.

28 Behold I will lie hid in the plains of the wilderness, till there come word from you to certify me.

Behold, I continue in arms in Araboth of the desert, until there come tidings from you to report to me.

29 So Sadoc and Abiathar carried back the ark of God into Jerusalem: and they tarried there.

So Sadoc and Abiathar brought back the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem, and it continued there.

30 But David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, going up and weeping, walking barefoot, and with his head covered, and all the people that were with them, went up with their heads covered weeping.

And David went up by the ascent of [the mount of] Olives, ascending and weeping, and had his head covered, and went barefooted: and all the people that were with him covered [every] man his head; and they went up, ascending and weeping.

31 And it was told David that Achitophel also was in the conspiracy with Absalom, and David said: Infatuate, O Lord, I beseech thee, the counsel of Achitophel.

And it was reported to David, saying, Achitophel also [is] amongst the conspirators with Abessalom. And David said, O Lord my God, disconcert, I pray you, the counsel of Achitophel.

32 And when David was come to the top of the mountain, where he was about to adore the Lord, behold Chusai the Arachite, came to meet him with his garment rent and his head covered with earth.

And David came as far as Ros, where he worshipped God: and behold, Chusi the chief friend of David came out to meet him, having tore his garment, and earth [was] upon his head.

33 And David said to him: If thou come with me, thou wilt be a burden to me:

And David said to him, If you should go over with me, then will you be a burden to me;

34 But if thou return into the city, and wilt say to Absalom: I am thy servant, O king: as I have been thy father’s servant, so I will be thy servant: thou shalt defeat the counsel of Achitophel.

but if you shall return to the city, and shall say to Abessalom, Your brethren are passed over, and the king your father is passed over after me: and now I am your servant, O king, suffer me to live: at one time even of late I was the servant of your father, and now I [am] your humble servant—so shall you disconcert for me, the counsel of Achitophel.

35 And thou hast with thee Sadoc, and Abiathar the priests: and what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests.

And, behold, [there are] there with you Sadoc and Abiathar the priests; and it shall be that every word that you shall hear of the house of the king, you shall report it to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests.

36 And there are with them their two sons Achimaas the son of Sadoc, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar: and you shall send by them to me every thing that you shall hear.

Behold, [there are] there with them their two sons, Achimaas the son of Sadoc, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar; and by them you shall report to me every word which you shall hear.

37 Then Chusai the friend of David went into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

So Chusi the friend of David went into the city, and Abessalom was lately gone into Jerusalem.